The United States has said it is working relentlessly with Bangladesh to identify the culprits of the killings of two foreigners.
“We are working closely with the Government of Bangladesh and key partners to assess who is responsible for these attacks and to help bring them to justice,” John Kirby, a US State Department spokesperson, told reporters at a regular press briefing in Washington yesterday.
About the Islamic State’s reported claims of killing an Italian and a Japanese national, he said, “We certainly note with concern ISIL’s [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] claim of responsibility for the attack.
And, as we have elsewhere, we take those claims seriously.”
Asked whether the terror group’s presence in Bangladesh is a real one, Kirby said, “… It’s difficult to say the degree to which ISIL is or is not operating in Bangladesh. I’m not at a position where I can make that determination.”
“It’s by law enforcement authorities there in Bangladesh to confirm responsibility. But I think it’s prudent for us to take ISIL claims seriously, and we do. But I just don’t have anything specific to give you in terms of actual responsibility for it … We need to let the law enforcement agencies there in Bangladesh investigate this and come to their own conclusions,” he added.
The IS reportedly claimed responsibility for the murders of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone on September 28 and Japanese national Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur on October 3.
Refuting the claims, the Bangladesh government said it found no militant links with the murders and that the attacks were aimed at destabilising the country.
Source: The Daily Star
